CVE-2026-45981: s390/cio: Fix device lifecycle handling in css_alloc_subchannel()

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.1% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-05-27 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-401

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/cio: Fix device lifecycle handling in css_alloc_subchannel() `css_alloc_subchannel()` calls `device_initialize()` before setting up the DMA masks. If `dma_set_coherent_mask()` or `dma_set_mask()` fails, the error path frees the subchannel structure directly, bypassing the device model reference counting. Once `device_initialize()` has been called, the embedded struct device must be released via `put_device()`, allowing the release callback to free the container structure. Fix the error path by dropping the initial device reference with `put_device()` instead of calling `kfree()` directly. This ensures correct device lifetime handling and avoids potential use-after-free or double-free issues.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 3.10 before 6.6.128; from 6.7 before 6.12.75; from 6.13 before 6.18.14; from 6.19 before 6.19.4 — fixed in 6.12.75, 6.18.14, 6.19.4, 6.6.128

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 6.12.75, 6.18.14, 6.19.4, 6.6.128. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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